The appearance of the golden flying ship, Erebus, immediately attracted the attention of everyone on the island!
Most islands in the New World had a tough, battle-hardened culture, where pirates and indigenous people had long since mixed. The overall structure was simple—large areas of mixed residences and small pockets of concentrated settlements.
Every island carried the atmosphere of piracy. This was the lawless paradise for criminals and vagabonds across the world, where one could sail without the constraints of kings or governments. The only rule here was strength—if you were strong enough, you were the one who made the rules.
But the New World was also a pirate's graveyard. There was always someone stronger, always someone higher. The goal of every pirate was to challenge the Overlord Pirate Crews—either by joining them or by overthrowing them to become the new rulers of the sea.
Even the World Government and the Navy had failed to purge the New World's criminals, allowing it to remain a lawless wasteland under their tacit acknowledgment.
Because of the existence of Devil Fruits, countless individuals across the world gained extraordinary abilities overnight. Most of these people, drunk on newfound power, quickly turned ambitious, disrupting order and committing atrocities.
But the World Government ruled the Four Seas and the Grand Line—how could they tolerate such instability? So, these criminals, hunted by the Navy, were driven into the sea, eventually becoming pirates.
All those who sought to carve out their own kingdoms set sail for the New World, calling it the land of "freedom"—a place where they would no longer be exploited or controlled by the World Government.
With time, the number of powerful pirates in the New World grew exponentially, forcing even the Navy to retreat. Now, only the islands near the Red Line remained under the Navy's watch, along with a few allied nations that still clung to World Government protection.
Currently, the only member nations of the World Government in the New World were located near Dressrosa and the Prudence Kingdom, close to the Red Line and the entrance from Fish-Man Island. But they were few and far between.
Each year, the Navy suffered enormous losses battling pirates in the New World. Eventually, the World Government shifted its focus back to the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line, gradually pulling out of the New World altogether.
After all, Devil Fruit users outnumbered the Navy's forces by an overwhelming margin. If the pirates ever united into a single force, even the World Government would struggle to contain them.
For centuries, the Navy had maintained dominance over the seas through strict discipline, superior resources, cutting-edge technology, and centuries of experience. But in the New World, power belonged to those who could take it by force.
---
"A flying pirate ship?! Could it be the Flying Pirates from the News?! How dare they show themselves so openly?! Aren't they afraid of being hunted down by the three Overlord Crews?"
"No… I heard the Sky Pirates' ship was stolen. And this one… this ship is made of pure gold! Could it be… the Hell Pirates?!"
Whispers of speculation spread across the island as more and more pirates turned their gazes toward the golden flying ship. Some had already drawn their weapons, eager to make a move.
Brook stood at the helm of Erebus, overlooking the bustling port town below. "Go down and gather intel on Sky Island. If possible, we should also dig up information on the New World's underground market… It's about time we paid the Underworld Emperors a visit."
To properly establish their foothold in the New World, Moore would need to set up a World Economic News branch here, allowing them to expand their intelligence network.
"Antonio, keep an eye on the Den Den Mushi transmissions from the Underground News. We need to find their leader. Also, monitor any movements from the underground intelligence organizations."
Brook's command was clear—intelligence was power, and they needed it now more than ever.
Meanwhile, Moore ' grand scheme was already in motion. "Winning" a Den Den Mushi from his World Econmic News Prize Giveaway was about to become the worst stroke of luck for some unfortunate souls.
---
"Hahaha!! A golden flying ship?! And it's actually landing?! Boys, open fire!! We're robbing it today!"
A greedy pirate captain bellowed, his bloodshot eyes reflecting the golden glow of Erebus.
"Redfield, leave them alive," Brook instructed, stepping forward. "I need to harvest their souls myself."
He had recently discovered that his Revive-Revive Fruit could imprison the souls of those he personally killed, trapping them within the path of the Underworld. The more powerful the soul, the more valuable it was.
Redfield, understanding Brook's intent, nodded. "Understood."
With a casual gesture, a massive crimson lightning storm erupted from his body, forming a vast net of electricity that swallowed the pirate crew below.
As the chaotic scene unfolded, Sniper Hiruba calmly raised his rifle, taking aim at the pirate captain leading the attack.
One shot—his finger was blown off.
A second shot—his kneecap shattered.
Had Brook not wanted him alive, Hiruba would've already taken his head.
Meanwhile, Shakky picked up a modified pistol crafted by Hiruba and began practicing her shooting skills.
"I'll do it too!"
Charlotte Linlin grinned wickedly as she sent out Zeus, the Thundercloud, and Prometheus, the Sun.
Lightning and fire rained down from the sky, turning the pirate ships in the harbor into smoldering wrecks. It was like a natural disaster had struck.
The pirate residents on the island could hardly believe their eyes.
"W-Wait… even that steel balloon… is part of the Hell Pirates?!"
Hands trembling, they pulled out bounty posters for Brook, Redfield, and Charlotte Linlin.
A pirate crew with bounties exceeding 500 million berries…
It was terrifying enough that Brook's bounty had skyrocketed after killing a Celestial Dragon, but if even Charlotte Linlin had joined him… didn't that mean these guys were stronger than her?!
How else would she willingly join another crew?
A deep, rumbling laugh echoed through the battlefield.
"Gurararara~!! Redfield! Linlin! Give me a chance to shine! Your bounties are already higher than mine—let me catch up!"
With a thunderous crash, Edward Newgate leaped down from Erebus, his legs coated in a massive halo of glowing energy.
As soon as he landed, the entire harbor cracked apart. The earth rumbled violently as the port town sank several meters, sending shockwaves strong enough to blast pirates off their feet.
Dust and debris shot into the sky. A terrifying pressure filled the air.
Newgate stood tall, his godlike physique alone enough to paralyze weaker pirates in fear.
"E-Edward Newgate…!!"
Another monstrous newcomer had arrived.
Wherever Newgate went, pirates fell with a single punch. Not a single enemy could withstand a second blow.
Standing aboard Erebus, Fisher Tiger watched the carnage unfold, eyes burning with admiration.
"Brother Newgate is SO COOL!!! Captain, I wanna learn that too!!"
Brook couldn't help but laugh as he watched the Fish-Man warrior's excitement.
The Hell Pirates had officially arrived in the New World.
And the whole world was about to take notice.
-----
The pirates watched in shock as the ships burned in thunder and fire, while the very earth beneath them cracked from powerful shockwaves. What kind of terrifying monsters were these people?!
"No!! Stop right now!! This island is under the protection of Captain Jevaler of the Diger Pirates! Do you dare provoke an overlord of the New World?!"
A pirate, who appeared to be the island's overseer, ran out and stood in front of Newgate without fear, his face full of anger.
The surviving pirates who had attacked the Hell Pirates first scrambled behind this man, desperately seeking protection. They knew if they stayed in the open, they'd be wiped out in an instant!
"Guralala~! Didn't you see? They were the ones who attacked our Hell Pirates first!"
Brook's crew had been trained to never cower before an enemy, not even the dominant pirate crews of the New World. If they couldn't win, they could always retreat on their golden ship and return for revenge later!
"They attacked you, so you have the right to kill them! But you've caused too much damage to Marseille Island! Don't you know this is a major pirate trading hub?! This island is the most important connection between the Grand Line and the New World!!"
Vasily, Jevaler's subordinate, cursed at Newgate. He was the one in charge of this island, responsible for collecting protection money for Captain Jevaler.
But now, thanks to the destruction of the port, there would be massive losses! If he couldn't gather enough tribute for Jevaler this month, he'd be the one to suffer!
"Captain Brook, the Jevaler he mentioned should be a high-ranking officer under the Diger Pirates, one of the three dominant pirate groups in the New World. His bounty is the same as yours—600 million berries."
Antonio, the Hell Pirates' intelligence officer, quickly pulled out Jevaler's bounty poster. The man had golden, curly hair draped over his shoulders, wore a captain's hat, and had a thin but cunning look to him.
"You've gotta be kidding me. We really have to run into the three dominant pirate groups already? What kind of unlucky streak is this?!"
Shakky sighed in frustration. She had originally planned to avoid confronting the overlord-level crews too soon. But now? They had destroyed a port in one of their territories. There was no backing out now.
Brook didn't blame Newgate for the destruction. At most, he'd just be more careful about their movements in the future. But if they could turn a big problem into a small one—or even avoid trouble altogether—then that would be ideal.
"Hey, you. You know your people attacked first, right? Of course, we're responsible for the damage too. How about this—I kill all these scumbags and trade their heads for bounties to pay for the port?"
Brook slowly drew his Seven-Star Sword, his calm but murderous smile sending chills down Vasily's spine.
But Vasily quickly regained his arrogance. Brook had the same bounty as Jevaler, but Jevaler had the entire Diger Pirates behind him. There was nothing to fear!
"That's not enough! Even if you exchange all these pirates for their bounties, it won't cover the damages. If you hand over that golden ship as compensation, we'll forget this ever happened!"
Vasily's eyes gleamed with greed as he looked at the golden ship of the Hell Pirates. Recently, all three of the dominant pirate groups had been trying to recruit Golden Lion Shiki—all because they wanted his Float-Float Fruit ability to fly.
If Vasily could extort this golden ship, it would be an enormous contribution to the Diger Pirates. He might even rise to the top and live in luxury!
Though managing Marseille Island was already a profitable position, who wouldn't want more?
Brook's expression darkened. "You dare try to take my ship? You must have a death wish."
Even if Jevaler himself were here, Brook wouldn't tolerate such greed. Killing a pirate with a 600 million bounty was no longer impossible for the Hell Pirates. But the Diger Pirates behind him were a different story.
"Are you serious? You think you can just take our golden ship? These pirates' bounties should be more than enough to fix your damn port!"
As a former information broker in the Sabaody Archipelago, Shakky had a good estimate of how much the bounties would be worth.
In the New World, bounty collection worked differently than in the Grand Line and the Four Seas.
Living criminals fetched the full bounty.
Dead criminals only fetched 70% of their bounty—unless they had made the news, and their killer was confirmed.
If a pirate's status was unclear, others could falsely claim the kill and take credit for the bounty.
This gave rise to a bounty fraud industry, where fake bounty hunters would collect rewards for kills they didn't actually make. They took a 30% cut for themselves, and the Navy got their dead bodies.
Some pirate captains saw this as easy money—40% of a bounty was still a decent profit, especially when looting enemy ships.
---
"Little girl, don't you know Lord Diger's Pirate Code? As long as we are within his territory, all pirates are forbidden from fighting!"
Vasily sneered, looking down at Shakky like she was clueless.
"When you were in the open sea, you weren't in Lord Diger's territory. So, the Pirate Code didn't protect those fools who attacked you. But now, you're on Marseille Island. If you dare to attack, you'll be violating Lord Diger's law!"
Vasily smirked. He was going to use his authority to squeeze every last bit of value from the Hell Pirates. If he could get that golden ship, his future would be set!
"So what you're saying is…" Brook's eyes turned cold. "The only way to avoid 'punishment' under your Pirate Code is to give up my ship?"
"Exactly! That's the rule! I hope you don't overestimate yourselves!"
Vasily grinned. He had pulled off countless shakedowns in the past, all in the name of the Diger Pirates.
But this time, he was dealing with the Hell Pirates—and he had no idea the storm he was about to bring upon himself.
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